Yoga Shown to Reduce Clinical Symptoms of Atrial Fibrillation

Yoga significantly reduces clinical symptoms and improves quality-of-life measures in patients with atrial fibrillation, according to a study published online Jan. 30 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Yoga significantly reduces clinical symptoms and improves quality-of-life measures in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), according to a study published online Jan. 30 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Dhanunjaya Lakkireddy, M.D., from the University of Kansas Hospital & Medical Center in Kansas City, and colleagues conducted a pre-post study in which patients with symptomatic paroxysmal AF were assigned to an initial three-month non-interventional observation period followed by twice-weekly 60-minute yoga training sessions for the following three months. Episodes of AF during the control and study periods were reported. Short Form-36 (SF-36), Zung self-rated anxiety, and Zung self-rated depression scores were measured at baseline and before and after the study phase.